Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Another goodreads review for Closing The Gate

6958934
In March of 1997 39 members of the Heaven's Gate group committed mass suicide in California believing they were exiting their earthly bodies and would move onto the next level of existence. Jimmy Pirkey had left the group some months earlier but had been trying to locate them to re-join when the group members died. Five weeks later he too would commit suicide hoping to join his "family".

This is the story of Jimmy's life and the path that led him to membership in this religious cult. His life was one of constant upheaval, poverty, and insecurity. His earliest years were spent with a mentally ill mother and a pedophile father. His older sister was the most stable influence in his life but she had problems of her own and was ill-equipped to nurture young Jimmy. The family was constantly moving and lived a consistently unstable life. After Jimmy's father was incarcerated his mother chose to replace him with a series of undesirable men who only contributed further to Jimmy's sad, deprived youth.

This true life account written by Jimmy's sister using the voices of his mother, father, herself and Jimmy, offers a realistic and traumatic look at what life for this family must have been like and how it affected him. It saddened me to think that children are actually raised this way and surprised me that they didn't have more emotional issues than they did as a result of their childhood circumstances. The author did a wonderful job with what must have been an emotionally devastating walk down memory lane for her.

I received this book through Goodreads' first reader giveaway program and I fervently recommend it.

Closing the Gate review and discussion!

http://inkquilletc.blogspot.com/2012/04/entry-denied-deb-simpsons-closing-gate.html?showComment=1352927453793#c7518546675690172140


Entry Denied: Deb Simpson's Closing the Gate

James Edward Pirkey Jr. died on May 13, 1997. He was thirty-six years old, had never married and had no children. He had placed a gun to his head, and reached for the next level, the place where he hoped to meet the precious spirits already departed. 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

paying markets for writers....

OATMEAL STUDIOS GREETING CARD CO., P.O. BOX 917 - Dept. J, North Adams, MA 01247. Email: dawn-at-oatmealstudios.com. Website: http://www.oatmealstudios.com. Dawn Abraham, Editor. "We sell cutting edge, humorous greeting cards in many styles: humorous photo ideas, many cartoon styles, and more traditional word-play styles of humor. See our website." 100% freelance. Welcomes new writers. Pays on acceptance. Publishes card 6 mo. to 2 years after acceptance. "We request exclusive purchase and use of any idea we buy. We respond within a few days to e-mails and we hold copy for between 3-10 weeks for review (depending on when it comes during our current review cycle). We tell writers what dates they can plan on final decisions." Samples available at the website. Guidelines by email to dawn-at-oatmealstudios.com.
CURRENT NEEDS: "We are currently looking for birthday ideas. We pay $75.00 if we decide to buy an idea. Word count of an average greeting card length. Submit by e-mail to dawn-at-oatmealstudios.com or by snail mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope that covers return postage."
PHOTOS/ART: "If you have illustrations or photos with your ideas send a query first with a description and we will tell you how to best submit. See our website for more info. about art requirements. Pay is negotiable.
HINTS: "Read cards on the racks in stores and try to write something you would buy (and maybe all your friends would buy, too)."

more markets

More paying markets

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

webinar for authors on Social Media

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/hub-and-outpost-webinar/


The Hub and Outpost Method of Social Media Marketing Webinar

Authors: Feel Like You're Spinning Your Wheels in Social Media?

The Hub and Outpost Method of Social Media Marketing for Authors

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Five Fun Games for writers !!






Get inspired while having fun!!
Great gifts for kids and adults!

Christmas is just around the corner!!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Book sale trends and how authors can affect them

http://www.livewritethrive.com/2012/10/08/the-cycles-of-book-sales/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LiveWriteThrive+%28Live+Write+Thrive%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Trend Lines Are Pretty Much the Same

The book industry has sales trend lines that have been consistent for the past forty years. Sales are relatively flat on a week-to-week basis for forty-six weeks out of the year. Slight sales increases are seen on the minor sales holidays. This means approximately the same number of books is being read in any given week compared to the previous year. The marketing efforts of authors and publishers generally do not increase the total amount of books that are purchased. The marketing effort is to get the consumer to purchase your product (book) instead of the competitor

to read the full article, click the link above

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Read To Succeed reviews Closing The Gate!

Closing The Gate review by Read To Succeed Rutherford

Closing the Gate: Inside Heaven’s Gate, by Deb Simpson


Review by Laura Beth Payne
When I began reading Deb Simpson’s book, I was prepared for a labyrinth of conspiracy theories and mysterious events about the cult that attracted her brother Jimmy and eventually led to his suicide. Instead I found something familiarly sad and too common: the story of a lost child trying to find a family when his own was falling apart. I found the story playing over in my mind long after I finished it.
More than half of the book is not about Jimmy or Heaven’s Gate at all, but about Simpson’s family, since it is what Simpson believes caused Jimmy to seek “another family” in Heaven’s Gate members. It’s no coincidence that Simpson now, besides her writing, serves as a volunteer for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for children who, just like herself and Jimmy, are members of broken families.
The chapters are written in different voices, alternating between Simpson’s mother, father, brother and herself. I cringed empathetically at the way she captured her abusive father’s own deranged, guiltless point of view, and I grimaced at the mother’s voice. She is not so much of a horrible character as a helpless one, having suffered at the inept hands of psychiatric “care,” rootless religion and abusive relationships. Jimmy’s tone evokes a quiet, contemplative man who is starving for understanding.
While Simpson is eventually able to leave her parents and find healing in her marriage, school, therapy and a job, Jimmy stays at home with their mother and won’t leave despite encouragement from doctors, therapists and Simpson herself. Instead he begins corresponding with those who seem able to give him the spiritual direction he craves—Heaven’s Gate cult members.
Spending a period of time at the compound gives Jimmy a sense of belonging and community that his own family had not given him, but he leaves when he realizes that he was not “as spiritual” as the other members. It was not until after the mass suicides that Jimmy decides he wanted follow his “family” to the next spiritual level: death. He shot himself through the heart in his apartment.
Yes, the story is haunting; I don’t think a story involving a suicide and cult activity can be anything less. But even more sobering than the events leading to Jimmy’s death are Simpson’s reflections afterwards:
“I believe [Jimmy] was looking for someone to show him the way . . . but no one did. We were all too caught up in our lives to understand the depth of his struggles. I will forever regret my own blindness to his pain, and his inability to tell me.”
Readers of Closing the Gate will find much to ponder from Simpson’s portrait of her family, her own escape and her brother’s descent into cult life. But if Simpson is successful, readers will also find a piercing reminder of the significance of our relationships and our human mandate to engage with the struggles and pain in those around us.
Deb Simpson is a Murfreesboro resident and the current president of the Tennessee Writers Alliance. For more information on her and her work, visit debsimpsonbooks.com.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Lulu--is a Lulu at self publishing! Read about the recent changes at this powerhouse!

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/07/whats-new-at-lulu-com-video-interview-with-sarah-gilbert/

excerpt: 
The first major player in print on demand for self-publishers—and still one of the largest of all—is Lulu.com. Since their founding in 2002 by Bob Young,
Lulu has published over 1.1 million titles by creators in over 200 countries and territories and adds 20,000 new titles to their catalogue a month.—Wikipedia

click the link above to read the full article
___________________________________________________________

I first self published through Lulu and they remain my choice for trying new approaches due the ease of use and flexibility, and the new ebook offerrings are worth exploring! 

If you are nto familiar with this key player in the publishing arena, please sop by their website and check out the authors who are featured in Lulu Author Spotlights!   (I am pleased to be counted among them!)



Monday, July 2, 2012

Author blogging styles--good practical tips

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/07/author-blogging-101-8-blogging-styles-you-can-use-today/

1. Personal reflection
Probably the first blogging style, since blogs started as online journals. This is still powerfully attractive to writers who love having an outlet for material that might not fit projects they are working on for publication. The downside of this style is the difficulty of finding subject matter that other people actually want to read.

there are 7 other styles....

Mix and Match Blogging Styles for Variety

Over time as your blog matures you’ll find yourself using many of these styles at different times. You can mix how-to articles with curated content from other how-to blogs, for instance, to give your readers some variety
please click on the link ot read the full article

Friday, June 29, 2012

Hook your Hook!

Evaluate your hook
from Writers Digest March/April 2012

With each story you start, always remember that an effective hook needs to do 7 things?

1) Grab the readers attention
2) Introduce a character that readers care about
3) Set the story's mood
4) Establish the storytellers voice
5) Orient readers to the world of the protagonist (and enable them to picture it)
6) Lock in the genre
7) End in a way that is both surprising and satisfying


Monday, June 25, 2012

Marketing, selling, platforms...tips from successful authors

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/06/self-publishing-carnival-of-the-indies-issue-21/

sample

Marketing and Selling Your Books

iWriteReadRate.com presents 4 Quick Reasons Why Building Your Indie Writer Platform is Rewarding posted at The iWriteReadRate Blog, saying, “Continuing our “4 Quick…” Series, here’s a short article about why spending time developing your profile and connecting with readers is valuable to all writers, whether you’re aspiring, indie, or published. Read more…”
Dana Lynn Smith presents Author Websites – Getting Search Engine Traffic posted at The Savvy Book Marketer


and so much more !

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

children learn what they live

Children Learn What They Live (1998)

by Dorothy Law Nolte (1924 - 2005)
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Ray Bradbury dead at 91

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/06/154424247/fahrenheit-451-author-ray-bradbury-dies-at-91?ft=1&f=1032
Ray Bradbury, author of The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451, died Tuesday. He was 91. Bradbury was known for his futuristic tales — but he never used a computer, or even drove a car.
Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Ill., in 1920 and grew up during the Great Depression.

click on the link above to read the full article

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Next to Normal--is a MUST SEE for Middle Tennessee!

Megan Chambers is an all star in Next to Normal! As Diana, the wife and mother who struggles to reach beyond her illness and find normal. Megans voice and vocal range are stellar and equal to any NY stage actress. She both carries and steals the show. Mike Baum gives an excellent performance as Diana's somewhat lost and overwhelmed husband, with Paige Brouillete giving a strong performance as Diana's "lost child" daughter. Keven Mead, Jordan Raveltte and Ben Van Diepen complete the cast and bring yin to Megans' yang.

This is only running for one more week and if you miss it, you have missed the show of the year!

Diana-Megan Chambers
Dan- Mike Baum
Natalie- Paige Brouillette
Gabe- Kevin Mead
Henry- Jordan Ravellette
Doctor Madden/Fine - Ben Van Diepen

A Must see!!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Leaving the bookstore......again

This is an update to my original blogpost


Okay, I must admit to my own naiveté –I truly thought that if I wrote a good book (compelling, well structured, well edited, etc) AND I did Social media, bookstore signings, speaking engagements, etc that the book would sell. I wasn’t expecting it to make the bestseller list, only to pay the costs of writing, publishing and promoting it, with a little left over.   I honestly believed in the American dream of being an entrepreneur…and seeing some measure of success….

I was willing to do the work
·         I blogged (boy did I blog!)
·         I wrote and published articles, poems and smaller books first
·         I did team signings with other authors
·         I joined writers organizations
·         I attended writing seminars
·         I pitched book ideas and excerpts to publishers, agents, etc
·         I read other authors in my genre
·         I became an expert in my book’s  topic
·         I attended local writing groups
·         I created a website for myself as an author and for my  book
·         I learned about SEO and content management, Wordpress, ….
·         I did volunteer work for literary organizations
          I even became a member of the board for one group  
·         I handed out business cards and postcards and more –
·         I enlisted my family and friends in reading and talking about the book
·         I gave seminars to other writers on publishing, marketing, etc
·         I made writing my second  career
·         I took time away from my family, my hobbies, and my budget –to
             support my new career
·         I used my vacation time to do book related events
·         I exhausted the patience of family and friends who heard about 
              details of my book and my writing career –and almost nothing
              else—for years…
·         I tried every option I could find and afford….and some I really
                 couldn’t  afford

Other writers asked how I was getting all of this done….and I smiled and said I was driving myself because I was serious about my writing career and being successful as an author. 
And after all of that, did the book sell?  Yes..and no…
It is selling more copies than my previous books , but is not even approaching a breakeven point
Sales have lagged as the initial launch is over and family and friends have purchased their copies –I have worked with each local bookstore individually to get them to carry the book—some via Ingram (returnable) some on consignment. I have saturated the retail venues….in the local area , and I have few funds to move outside of the local area….
I still believe in the book and in my own skill as an author. I believe there are readers who would be interested in the book, but may not be specifically searching for it….and I wonder if I need to change the books description (metadata), or BISAC categories, etc—but each of these has a cost…and the book has yet to breakeven. 
I am the person who encouraged others to write and publish their books, who believed they (and I ) could succeed against the odds….and I now know I was wrong…
How did I get here and where do I go now? 
I made some discoveries about the REAL process of how books are sold…in bookstores….
I thought that if I went with a publisher who could get my book into the catalogs of the major book wholesalers and distributors --that would get it noticed…..WRONG!
I thought that bookstore buyers actually looked at the catalog and that my book would be listed with the other books of its genre—biography—on a level playing field….WRONG!
I thought that having the book be returnable would mean that bookstores would “take a chance” on it WRONG! …

It turns out that even though it is returnable, because it is Print on Demand (POD) the bookstores internal computers systems may still code it as non returnable...and it gets "lumped in" with all the other POD books that are not even considered because bookstores have limited space, and if they bring in nonreturnabe books, and they don't sell, they lose money
I thought that if I published it on the date of  a well known anniversary—related to the subject of the book—that media outlets would be interested in this untold story and would cover the story ….WRONG!
I thought the local newspaper might be interested in the tie in between me as a local author, or the subject of the bioggraphy and local connections...  WRONG!

So, I wasn't right about much!
Here are the realities
1)      Catalog listings-for the distribution outlets  (like Ingram and Baker & Taylor)
a.       POD books are listed in the BACK of the catalog –in a separate
          section that book buyers rarely even read
b.      Book buyers (bookstores. Distributors, etc) do not search this
          section –unless they are browsing, and then they are unlikely
          to truly consider POD form an unknown author regardless of
          the topic

2)      Returns
a.       The publisher I used, Lightning Source (LSUS) –which is one of the few that offer returns at a reasonable rate, does list the book as returnable, but because the bookstore systems often “define” POD books as nonreturnable, they are often not “seen” as returnable unless the author points that out to each bookstore..

3)      Bookstore placement is not at the discretion of the bookstore management-it is quite often negotiated at the corporate or ownership level
a.       Publishing houses use the services of sales agents/ distribution companies-to pitch their books ; this is how the bookstores buy –they do not select their own merchandise from a catalog –for most purchases
b.      Book Distributors/sales
         i.       pay to get their books into the catalogs,
         ii.      they pay to get their books placed in specific sections of the stores,
         iii.      they pay  to get posters, etc placed on the stores;
         iv.      they pay for radio and tv advertising
          v.      they pay for special displays and the placement of those displays
         vi.      there is little room for indie books—
        vii.      a small amount of discretion remains with local bookstore management and they use if carefully
4)      Bookstore signings do not attract the public as they did in the past
a.       More stores are charging fees  to authors and attendees
b.      It is more difficult to get a slot unless you are a celebrity or with a major publishing house
c.       There is better success with a team of authors, but still minimal attendance and interest
d.      There is less interest today in attending readings and signings of unknown /local authors

5)      Bookstore browsing vs inventory
a.       There are fewer reasons to go to a bookstore today and fewer reasons to browse and buy
     i.      Fewer places to sit and read
                    ii.      Fewer selections of books on the shelf—less inventory
                    iii.      Fewer book clubs, etc being hosted –less visibility to printed books

6)      Strategic partnerships are  blocking out the indie author
a.       Amazon shows LSUS books as “out of stock” (they are not)—they are POD and available, but Amazon shows them this way to try and get the buyer to select another “Amazon” published book or one where Amazon makes more of a profit
b.      Barnes and Noble will not carry books in their stores which are published via CreateSpace or any other Amazon imprint (competition)
c.       BAMM won’t carry books in their stores which are distributed by Ingram—only Baker & Taylor –(Thoer selected distributor)
d.      Baker and Taylor only offers books they select —LSUS sends all book info to B&T, but they only place it in their catalog
                                     i.      if it’s from a mainstream publisher
                            ii.      if you are part of a publishing network they recognize (paid membership)
                          iii.      if you apply to them and pay) for each book you want them to consider

7)      Marketing –it’s all about the marketing—not the advertising
a.       Today, it’s about building a relationship with potential buyers---letting them know who you are—often without actually meeting you –and about drawing their interest in you
b.      It takes strong relationships –to get books brought into EACH store  or
c.       It takes innovative relationships to attract the market

8)      Platform
a.       Like a political platform -the declared principles, aims, etc, of a political party, an organization, or an individual or author build their platform
b.      The primary element is that you have to create the demand BEFORE you sell the book, so there needs to be a demand before you writ e it and publish it

9)      There is an industry lock out for indies
a.       Although there are more options for publishing –than 20 years ago
b.      And more options for distribution –than 20 years ago
c.       There are fewer options for traditional publishing
d.      And it is more difficult to find a niche market—due to saturation
e.      There is less opportunity to learn from mistakes –what is placed on the web remains forever
Bottom Line
It’s a business, not a community; It’s all about profits and promotion
It is more important in the marketplace to have strong marketing than to have an extraordinary book
It’s all about “selling the sizzle” not the steak
Unless you are very lucky, It’s all about who you know and who they know
And about how much money and time you are willing to invest in
·         cultivating relationships with bookstore managers/owners
·         trying out events to find the best options for attracting  readers (some authors do well with local flea markets/swap meets; other do well with home shows and cooking demonstrations; some do well with jewelry store tie ins (example author JT Ellison whose crime novel included a diamond ring), etc
·         building and expanding your speaking engagements
And make no mistake; it is expensive –and exhausting

Yet, I want to continue to write and sell, even if it is only to a few, so I will now move to ebooks, less cost, more possibility of directly reaching readers

Another author leaves the bookstore…..




This is an update to my original blogpost

On May 5, 2012 I was part of a team book reading and signing at Parnassus Books in Green Hills.  In prepration for the event, Parnassus ordered 18 copies of my book. (Most bookstores order 6-8) . None were sold during the event, and now, just 3  weeks later, All have been returned- it appears that was little effort to stock/sell the book.  While I do understand that the bookstores need to limit their inventory, none of the other bookstores that ordered the book retunred them in 3 weeks!  

Also, for those of you who (like me) made your books returnable to entice the bookstores to carry them, you should be aware that this one returned order cancelled out ALL previous profits from this book and put me back in the red .  Just another reminder of the validity of my recent decision to do no more printed books.  Lesson learned.  Hopefully, some of you will learn from my sharing, and avoid these costly attempts at bookselling. 

To date, the publishing costs (and now return handling costs) of this book have far exceeded any returns. 

And this is a book that is receiving 4 - 5 star reviews and excellent feedback. 

Leaving the bookstore...again.....


THE CONTRACT CLAUSE THAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL!

http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/007376_05302012.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+writersweekly+%28WritersWeekly.com+-+Freelance+Writing+Ezine%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Media Kits--make them Rock!

http://selfpublishingteam.com/media-kit-tips-examples/

Anytime you request an interview, you use it.
Anytime you contact a blogger, you use it.

Anytime you solicit a review, you use it.
Anytime you create an online dating profile, you use it

clikc the link above to read the full article!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Deb and Closing The Gate on Skepticality! Interview ! podcast!


http://www.skepticality.com/drop-penny-gate/


Deborah Simpson

- The 1997 Heaven’s Gate mass suicide was the largest even conducted on American soil.
– Her new book “Closing The Gate” is about Heaven’s Gate and her brother, Jimmy.
– Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles were the ‘figureheads’ of the group at the time.
– There were additional, related, suicides at the same time as the main Heaven’s Gate California event.
– Always be aware of warning signs if you see them in friends or loved ones.
– Remaining members still maintain the Heaven’s Gate website and distribute information.
Click on the link above to hear the podcast!!

20 Valuable Writing Resources

http://www.howtopublishbooks.info/2011/11/20-valuable-writing-resources.html

Word of Mouth Marketing Book Hits Bestseller List

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/word-of-mouth-marketing-book-hits-bestseller-list-2012-05-21

The book focuses on the fundamentals of word of mouth and features tutorials on "3 Reasons People Talk About You," "4 Rules of Word of Mouth," and "5 Ts of Word of Mouth Marketing." The book also features case studies from Dell, IKEA, Intuit, and Microsoft.

click on the link above to read the full. article about this amazing book!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

A key contact resource for agents and publishers !!

https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/register/

  • Access new deals daily; opt to receive a daily deal e-mail; and search the deal database containing thousands of transactions.
  • Search the Who Represents database of authors and agents.
  • Search the contact database of thousands of industry contacts.

  • Use the track books page to follow your titles' rankings at Amazon and BN.com, as well as cross-check automatically against 12 bestseller lists

    How to make your book free on Kindle.....

    http://catherineryanhoward.com/2012/05/17/selling-self-published-books-the-amazing-amazon/



    Seeing Other People

    Next week I’ll be posting about KDP Select, which enrolls your book in the Kindle Owners Lending Library and lets you promote your book as free for up to five days out of every ninety. To do this, you have to give your e-book exclusively to Amazon for the whole ninety days.

    clock on link above to read the full article 

    Tips for writers from NY Times best selling author and Nashville native, J T Ellison

    Overheard on today's broadcast of  "A Word on Words"  on NPT  with John Seigenthaler


    1) JT writes 1000 words per day minimum and recommends all writers set defined goals for daily writing 
    2) JT says that she sees writers block as the story's way of telling the author that they are trying to head down the wrong path


    JT was talking about "A Deeper Darkness" which she wrote in 90 days! it is her 8th best selling novel!  
    click below to hear the podcast~ 
    http://www.wnpt.org/productions/wow/






    A Deeper Darkness by J T Ellison 
    http://www.amazon.com/Deeper-Darkness-Samantha-Owens-Book/dp/0778313204






    Thursday, May 17, 2012

    Another Author leaves the bookstore....UPDATE Parnassus

    Okay, I must admit to my own naiveté –I truly thought that if I wrote a good book (compelling, well structured, well edited, etc) AND I did Social media, bookstore signings, speaking engagements, etc that the book would sell. I wasn’t expecting it to make the bestseller list, only to pay the costs of writing, publishing and promoting it, with a little left over.   I honestly believed in the American dream of being an entrepreneur…and seeing some measure of success….

    I was willing to do the work
    ·         I blogged (boy did I blog!)
    ·         I wrote and published articles, poems and smaller books first
    ·         I did team signings with other authors
    ·         I joined writers organizations
    ·         I attended writing seminars
    ·         I pitched book ideas and excerpts to publishers, agents, etc
    ·         I read other authors in my genre
    ·         I became an expert in my book’s  topic
    ·         I attended local writing groups
    ·         I created a website for myself as an author and for my  book
    ·         I learned about SEO and content management, Wordpress, ….
    ·         I did volunteer work for literary organizations
              I even became a member of the board for one group  
    ·         I handed out business cards and postcards and more –
    ·         I enlisted my family and friends in reading and talking about the book
    ·         I gave seminars to other writers on publishing, marketing, etc
    ·         I made writing my second  career
    ·         I took time away from my family, my hobbies, and my budget –to
                 support my new career
    ·         I used my vacation time to do book related events
    ·         I exhausted the patience of family and friends who heard about 
                  details of my book and my writing career –and almost nothing
                  else—for years…
    ·         I tried every option I could find and afford….and some I really
                     couldn’t  afford

    Other writers asked how I was getting all of this done….and I smiled and said I was driving myself because I was serious about my writing career and being successful as an author. 
    And after all of that, did the book sell?  Yes..and no…
    It is selling more copies than my previous books , but is not even approaching a breakeven point
    Sales have lagged as the initial launch is over and family and friends have purchased their copies –I have worked with each local bookstore individually to get them to carry the book—some via Ingram (returnable) some on consignment. I have saturated the retail venues….in the local area , and I have few funds to move outside of the local area….
    I still believe in the book and in my own skill as an author. I believe there are readers who would be interested in the book, but may not be specifically searching for it….and I wonder if I need to change the books description (metadata), or BISAC categories, etc—but each of these has a cost…and the book has yet to breakeven. 
    I am the person who encouraged others to write and publish their books, who believed they (and I ) could succeed against the odds….and I now know I was wrong…
    How did I get here and where do I go now? 
    I made some discoveries about the REAL process of how books are sold…in bookstores….
    I thought that if I went with a publisher who could get my book into the catalogs of the major book wholesalers and distributors --that would get it noticed…..WRONG!
    I thought that bookstore buyers actually looked at the catalog and that my book would be listed with the other books of its genre—biography—on a level playing field….WRONG!
    I thought that having the book be returnable would mean that bookstores would “take a chance” on it WRONG! …

    It turns out that even though it is returnable, because it is Print on Demand (POD) the bookstores internal computers systems may still code it as non returnable...and it gets "lumped in" with all the other POD books that are not even considered because bookstores have limited space, and if they bring in nonreturnabe books, and they don't sell, they lose money
    I thought that if I published it on the date of  a well known anniversary—related to the subject of the book—that media outlets would be interested in this untold story and would cover the story ….WRONG!
    I thought the local newspaper might be interested in the tie in between me as a local author, or the subject of the bioggraphy and local connections...  WRONG!

    So, I wasn't right about much!
    Here are the realities
    1)      Catalog listings-for the distribution outlets  (like Ingram and Baker & Taylor)
    a.       POD books are listed in the BACK of the catalog –in a separate
              section that book buyers rarely even read
    b.      Book buyers (bookstores. Distributors, etc) do not search this
              section –unless they are browsing, and then they are unlikely
              to truly consider POD form an unknown author regardless of
              the topic

    2)      Returns
    a.       The publisher I used, Lightning Source (LSUS) –which is one of the few that offer returns at a reasonable rate, does list the book as returnable, but because the bookstore systems often “define” POD books as nonreturnable, they are often not “seen” as returnable unless the author points that out to each bookstore..

    3)      Bookstore placement is not at the discretion of the bookstore management-it is quite often negotiated at the corporate or ownership level
    a.       Publishing houses use the services of sales agents/ distribution companies-to pitch their books ; this is how the bookstores buy –they do not select their own merchandise from a catalog –for most purchases
    b.      Book Distributors/sales
             i.       pay to get their books into the catalogs,
             ii.      they pay to get their books placed in specific sections of the stores,
             iii.      they pay  to get posters, etc placed on the stores;
             iv.      they pay for radio and tv advertising
              v.      they pay for special displays and the placement of those displays
             vi.      there is little room for indie books—
            vii.      a small amount of discretion remains with local bookstore management and they use if carefully

    4)      Bookstore signings do not attract the public as they did in the past
    a.       More stores are charging fees  to authors and attendees
    b.      It is more difficult to get a slot unless you are a celebrity or with a major publishing house
    c.       There is better success with a team of authors, but still minimal attendance and interest
    d.      There is less interest today in attending readings and signings of unknown /local authors

    5)      Bookstore browsing vs inventory
    a.       There are fewer reasons to go to a bookstore today and fewer reasons to browse and buy
         i.      Fewer places to sit and read
                        ii.      Fewer selections of books on the shelf—less inventory
                        iii.      Fewer book clubs, etc being hosted –less visibility to printed books

    6)      Strategic partnerships are  blocking out the indie author
    a.       Amazon shows LSUS books as “out of stock” (they are not)—they are POD and available, but Amazon shows them this way to try and get the buyer to select another “Amazon” published book or one where Amazon makes more of a profit
    b.      Barnes and Noble will not carry books in their stores which are published via CreateSpace or any other Amazon imprint (competition)
    c.       BAMM won’t carry books in their stores which are distributed by Ingram—only Baker & Taylor –(Thoer selected distributor)
    d.      Baker and Taylor only offers books they select —LSUS sends all book info to B&T, but they only place it in their catalog
                                         i.      if it’s from a mainstream publisher
                                ii.      if you are part of a publishing network they recognize (paid membership)
                              iii.      if you apply to them and pay) for each book you want them to consider

    7)      Marketing –it’s all about the marketing—not the advertising
    a.       Today, it’s about building a relationship with potential buyers---letting them know who you are—often without actually meeting you –and about drawing their interest in you
    b.      It takes strong relationships –to get books brought into EACH store  or
    c.       It takes innovative relationships to attract the market

    8)      Platform
    a.       Like a political platform -the declared principles, aims, etc, of a political party, an organization, or an individual or author build their platform
    b.      The primary element is that you have to create the demand BEFORE you sell the book, so there needs to be a demand before you writ e it and publish it

    9)      There is an industry lock out for indies
    a.       Although there are more options for publishing –than 20 years ago
    b.      And more options for distribution –than 20 years ago
    c.       There are fewer options for traditional publishing
    d.      And it is more difficult to find a niche market—due to saturation
    e.      There is less opportunity to learn from mistakes –what is placed on the web remains forever
    Bottom Line
    It’s a business, not a community; It’s all about profits and promotion
    It is more important in the marketplace to have strong marketing than to have an extraordinary book
    It’s all about “selling the sizzle” not the steak
    Unless you are very lucky, It’s all about who you know and who they know
    And about how much money and time you are willing to invest in
    ·         cultivating relationships with bookstore managers/owners
    ·         trying out events to find the best options for attracting  readers (some authors do well with local flea markets/swap meets; other do well with home shows and cooking demonstrations; some do well with jewelry store tie ins (example author JT Ellison whose crime novel included a diamond ring), etc
    ·         building and expanding your speaking engagements
    And make no mistake; it is expensive –and exhausting

    Yet, I want to continue to write and sell, even if it is only to a few, so I will now move to ebooks, less cost, more possibility of directly reaching readers

    Another author leaves the bookstore…..




    This is an update to my original blogpost

    On May 5, 2012 I was part of a team book reading and signing at Parnassus Books in Green Hills.  In prepration for the event, Parnassus ordered 18 copies of my book. (Most bookstores order 6-8) . None were sold during the event, and now, just 3  weeks later, All have been returned- it appears that was little effort to stock/sell the book.  While I do understand that the bookstores need to limit their inventory, none of the other bookstores that ordered the book retunred them in 3 weeks!  

    Also, for those of you who (like me) made your books returnable to entice the bookstores to carry them, you should be aware that this one returned order cancelled out ALL previous profits from this book and put me back in the red .  Just another reminder of the validity of my recent decision to do no more printed books.  Lesson learned.  Hopefully, some of you will learn from my sharing, and avoid these costly attempts at bookselling. 

    To date, the publishing costs (and now return handling costs) of this book have far exceeded any returns. 

    And this is a book that is receiving 4 - 5 star reviews and excellent feedback. 

    Leaving the bookstore...again.....